BBC HD Test Card Special Final Broadcast

The final BBC HD Test Card showing will be in the early hours of the 26th as part of a special overnight transmission.

Featuring old test cards re-created by BBC R&D, the continuous broadcast of test signals will run through the night until BBC Two HD starts up at 06:00 am.

More from BBC technologist Andy Quested's blog...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/internet/posts/HD-Test-Card-Special

Ah, thought "Andy Quested's Test Card Bonanza", as I've heard it called, might be a super-secret surprise. Yep, something I'm sure a few people on here will set the PVRs for. Will have to be a manual record though, on Sky at least.

It'll be "This is BBC HD" through to 6am, when BBC Two takes over.

Why wouldn't they schedule the test cards as a programme?

They're kind of on because there isn't a scheduled programme. Filling the gap, as it says in the blog.

A nice treat for those who'll appreciate it, most of whom would find out about it from the blog and forums like this.

A pity they couldn't fit 'Windmills' in to the mix.

It would be great if they would add the test card to the version of the iPlayer that is available on connected devices and Sky on demand, if there is no further opportunity to transmit it.

The testcard was part of the BBC HD preview loop, so why don't they include it in BBC Two's?

It's a pity they've done this though - as this bit of the schedule is flagged so that it can't be recorded on Sky+ boxes - so you can't record it for later use

Unless you do a manual recording...

Indeed.

By the way, are Sky boxes still stuck in the stone age, and still require manual recordings for radio programmes ?

Non-programme events in the TV EPG have generally never been possible to record or timeshift on Sky - for example, when Pages From Ceefax was shown - so it's a typical case. I don't think Freeview had such a 'block' on PFC, however...


Yes, unfortunately. All radio channels are effectively limited in the same way as the non-programme listings on TV; still no option to rewind or pause radio. Not good if you've returned to find you've just missed that track you really liked the sound of...

Better start clearing last years Ski Sundays then!